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Affiliation
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b Centre for Accident Research & Road Safety-Queensland Queensland University Technology , 130 Victoria Park Road, Kelvin Grove , QLD 4059 , Australia. |
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Abstract
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OBJECTIVES: The main objective of this study was to establish the knowledge, attitudes and practices towards drink-driving/riding as a risk factor for road traffic crashes in three regional capitals in Ghana.
METHODS: The study used a face-to-face approach to randomly sample motorists who were accessing various services at fuel/gas stations, garages and lorry terminals in three cities in Ghana.
RESULTS: Over the previous 12 months, 24% of all motorists and 55% of motorists who were current alcohol users reported driving or riding a vehicle within an hour of alcohol intake. On the average, motorists/riders who were current alcohol users consumed four standard drinks per their drinking occasions. Generally, 83% of motorists who currently use alcohol walked, rode or drove home after consuming alcohol away from their homes. Motorists/riders who reported drink-driving were four times more likely to have had previous traffic violation arrests compared with those who reported no drink-driving/riding (p = 0.001). Respondents were of the opinions that speeding was the major cause of traffic crashes, followed by driver carelessness, poor road conditions, inexperienced driving, and drink-driving in that order. Thirty six percent of motorists who use alcohol had the perception that consuming between 6 and 15 standard drinks was the volume of alcohol that will take them to the legal BAC limit of 0.08%. Compared with females, male motorists/riders were more likely to report drink-driving (AOR = 5.15, 95% CI: 2.31 to 11.47). Private motorists also reported a higher likelihood of drink-driving compared with commercial drivers (AOR = 3.36, 95% CI: 1.88 to 6.02). Only 4% of motorists knew the legal BAC limit of Ghana and only 2% had ever been tested for drink-driving/riding.
CONCLUSION: The volumes of alcohol which motorists typically consume per their drinking occasions were very high and their estimates of the number of drinks required to reach the legal BAC limit was equally very high. Provision of authoritative information advising motorists about 'safe', 'responsible' or 'low risk' levels of alcohol consumption is imperative. Many traffic violations including drink-driving were reported thus suggesting a need for enhanced policing and enforcement. However, giving the low level of knowledge of the legal BAC limit, educating motorists about how many drinks that will approximate the legal BAC should be intensified prior to an increase in enforcement otherwise the desired outcome of enforcement may not be achieved.
Language: en |